be brave, my friends!

Found on the webs... Love your life.

via ApartmentTherapy which is always sharing lovely, inspiring things!

Be a courageous lion!

Think outside the box.

It's so true... you have to learn to think around, through, over, and under a problem to come up with a creative solution. And not thinking like everyone else is never a bad thing.

Taking a risk...

There's usually a paralyzing fear associated with risk-taking... but not when you think about it this way. Especially the following your creative hunches. Trust.

Freefalling...

In life, in poker, all around!

Getting Balance

carpe diem

Found on the webs: via Pikaland | Make something good print by Pleasebestill @ Etsy

As you WANT

A dream is a wish...

Dare to be Different

Found on the webs

Not exactly a hand-drawn inspirational post... but a very appropriate one, nonetheless.

from Delphine Ephemera

One of my Favorites.

a quote by William G. Shedd. Dedicated to the graduates of 2011.

I am... I am... I am...

Where are you going?

If you keep making that face...

Remember when we were told if you crossed your eyes, they could get stuck that way? This quote makes me think the same thing about your words and your life... Living in a framework of "I can't"s would certainly be different [and way more horrible] than the life that springs from "I can"s.

Anatomy Lesson

From Freelance Design in Practice, by Cathy Fishel

Oops. Boo boo!

Words by the guru Seth Godin.

What to say when you make a mistake:

One of my very favorite pieces of advice, from The Art of Possibility by Benjamin and Rosamund Zander. Instead of thinking, 'Oh sh*t!', think 'How fascinating!'

Thanks, Management.

From The Art of Possibility

Who needs a glass? Optimism.

I think this should be a tattoo. 

Make a Declaration

What does this mean to you? Make a declaration, this July 4th weekend, that you are a contribution-- to ALL of the communities that you are a part of. 

This is the beginning!

This is the beginning of a new blog for me. It's inspired by words... things that I've read, heard, or seen... and that I keep coming back to as a source of inspiration-- not just for art or business, but for life.

I am at a point of transition in my life (well, career-wise at least), and in trying to forge some sort of path, I'm also trying to take some time to be quiet, to read, and to just let things happen to me. Which is not something that I am good at. So, this sketchbook was born, of words and jots, doodles and findings.

I'm not very good at sitting still and being quiet, so I started drawing out these phrases and spending some time with them-- writing the letters, figuring out what they really mean to put them together in a visual way. All of them were jotted down in pencil and then outlined with my favorite Artline pens, and colored with my Prismacolor pencils.

I hope that you enjoy!